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Ultimate Video Game Man Cave: Elder Scrolls Edition

Are you a diehard gamer and RPG enthusiast, but are fresh out of man cave ideas? Have you ever wanted to re-create the fantasy worlds you have dreamt of?

One man has achieved greatness in the realm of video game man caves and isn’t afraid to show off his ultimate game room to the world. Meet Tyler, the king, Jarl, and ruler of the Elder Scrolls man cave. He has forged the world of Tamriel to manifest itself in the mountain village of Utah.

Every aspect of this man room replicates elements from the Elder Scrolls series to the point that you will most likely forget where you are, especially if you have had a bit too much mead. From the Alchemy Lab to the Practice Yard to the medieval weaponry used to vanquish his foes, Tyler derives his inspiration directly from the epic open world RPG series.

If you thought your Skyrim Breezehome was a sweet setup, you are going to be thoroughly embarrassed and in shear awe of this gift from Tamriel that Tyler has blessed us with. And don’t forget to check out the insightful man cave advice he has provided to all of us aspiring man cavers!

Part 1: The Ultimate Video Game Man Cave: Elder Scrolls Edition

Welcome to the ultimate gamer man cave and Elder Scrolls-inspired lair. After a long day of slaying dragons, forging weapons, and hardcore questing, there’s nothing like taking your steel gauntlets off, sheathing your broadsword, and relaxing on your man cave furniture with some TV.

Yes, this is Breezehome on steroids. How was this in-game purchase not an option? We don’t see any logical reason why you would not go from brewing up concoctions at the Alchemy Lab to hustling your NPC follower in billiards.

With the balance of the world’s fate in your hands, you will need to be well equipped with some hardy food, mead, and Alto wine from your kitchen to ensure you have the energy to keep up with your daily responsibilities.

Say hello to Jarl Tyler, first of his name and ruler of his domain. Cool and confident that he has one of the most epic man caves through any and all of the Ages.

What kind of gamer man cave exists without a GIANT projection screen to game on a near-real size scale? How much Magicka will it cost me to conjure up a screen this size? Even for just a couple hours…please…

In case the fortress is overrun by enemies or hostile Dragonborn, a secret passageway leads to shelter until the threat passes. Simply pull the inconspicuous book and flee to safety, lest ye be looking fer trouble. You never know what can happen in Tamriel, best be prepared for the worst!

Hurt in in a skirmish and need a healing potion? Need to temporarily up your Alteration or Destruction game? Tyler has all your potions and rare ingredients needs covered, no matter what your ailment or affliction.

There is no better place to hone your combat skills for that next elusive level up than the practice yard. Better to figure out you are not strong enough to yield that hefty battle axe BEFORE you start trying to hack away at a Frost Troll around Winterhold.

Let’s be honest: there is not a ton of hygiene-related activities in Tamriel and you smell like you have been exploring Dwemer ruins for the last 6 weeks. Time for a warm shower at the inn to cleanse yourself, so the local townfolk can tolerate your offensive odor.

There is no better quality lighting than the traditional Whiterun sconce. While we are out of stock of these due to recent Thieves Guild ransacks, check out our other man cave lighting options!

Part 2: The Build Process

Building the ultimate man cave takes blood (from battling vampires, ogres, and rogue mages), sweat, and tears. However, Tyler had to have a clear head during the process to ensure he always thought ahead and stayed align with his vision. You cannot expect to build something this amazing without a lot of effort, patience, support, and some help from family and friends. Thinking about the value and purpose that each element of the man room delivers can bring clarity to the decision making process and ultimately aid you in forging your dream man cave. Tyler shared some “Before” photos so we can see the work that he put into the final product!

The infrastructure is definitely on its way to completion, but does not give you the man cave feel without any of the Elder Scrolls furniture, gear, and decorations.

This wall looks pretty awesome by itself, but would appear random without all the other elements and décor surrounding it. Tyler was clearly thinking ahead when he thought about each of the walls!

Did he just run out of bricks? Not at all! This wall was planned out very well, as you can tell from the finished product earlier. Very cool idea that stays true to what a deteriorating or damaged wall would look like in the Tamriel world.

Photo from the very beginning of the whole build process. It is totally unrecognizable from the final product. Is this the kitchen? Hearth? Dungeon? Just shows how far this Elder Scrolls man cave had to come!

Part 3: Interview with the Creator

1) Was there a specific moment or experience that inspired you to start designing and building your Elder Scrolls man cave? Did the entire process seem overwhelming at first?

Yes, we had just built our house and moved in right before the release of the game Skyrim. We had an unfinished basement that we knew we wanted to finish at some point. I brought the idea up to my wife about doing a medieval tavern style basement that had an Elder Scrolls theme. We went to Europe for a month for my work and after seeing the old architecture with exposed wood and stone everywhere, we were sold on the old world idea! The process was never really overwhelming, but there were times it was hard to get my vision across to my dad and sub-contractors.

2) There is no question of where you got your inspiration for design and the attention to small details is pretty much immaculate. Did you constantly have Skyrim and other Elder Scrolls games playing during the design process to ensure the quality of each design element?

Yes, it helped that I was putting hours into the Skyrim game during the whole process. I showed my wife, dad, and a plaster guy we hired a lot of stuff from the game. For example, each door down there is custom and unique. I took screen shots of the game to show the guy creating the doors, so we could get some of the specific details on the doors. One door has dragon hinges right from the game!

3) Many guys would say $50,000 is way too much to spend on a man cave. In our opinion though, you can't put a price on happiness and creating your ultimate comfort zone, particularly for your passion and career. As an artist, does this inspiration for your work also help justify the price tag?

People will say "how did this cost 50 grand?" It’s one of those things where they aren't thinking of the full process. The behind the scenes costs. Like lumber, sheetrock, insulation, electrical, heating HVAC, plumbing, appliances, theater equipment and such. This wasn't an existing room we just decorated. It was just 2x4's when we started. A blank canvas!

4) Your man cave is absolutely one of the most impressive works of art we have seen. What would you say is the element, piece, or aspect that you are most proud of in this accomplishment?

I'm very proud of the DIY projects in the space. From the custom hanging Skryrim crested shield, the old scrolls, and Whiterun wheat/grain sacks. The custom throne chairs, wood work we salvaged from an old barn and, fence to use on the walls and cabinets. People think the coolest thing is the hidden book case that opens with the pull of a certain book. My dad and I built and rigged the whole thing up.

5) To other RPG fans and guys who would love to begin forging their man cave around their passion, what advice would you impart to help them get started?

Make sure you wife and family are on board. Be prepared to spend a lot of time working on the space. Always think ahead. We have an HDMI running from our theater room to the TV in the main space. So we can stream the same movies, games or sporting events. Glad we thought to do it, because it’s not something I could add now. The most important thing though is think about resale. I could take all the Elder scrolls and Fantasy elements out of the space and it would just be a rustic basement that could appeal to more buyers.